Shingles vaccination ?

seadoug said:
I had a boss in his 50's who got shingles and was out of the office for an extended period of time. He said it was incredibly painful. I got both Shingrex shots a few years ago and had no side effects.
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I had mine a couple years ago and felt some effects from the second one, not too bad, certainly nothing like having shingles.
My husband is getting his soon as well.
 

I forgot to mention that if anyone does happen to contract shingles, there is an antiviral treatment available but it must be commenced within a tight time frame to be effective. Hubby had shingles quite a while ago and his doctor prescribed the treatment even though at the time it was not officially approved for shingles. It is now and it does help to relieve the pain and to speed recovery.

It is always best to follow the doctor's advice.
 
perplexed said:
I had shingles 2 times in 2 years. I had it on my back the first time and the second time I had it in my eye. I itched so bad on my head the second time I cried. I still itch a little. I take a maintenance dose of valtrex every couple of days. I was told by a nurse friend that she has patients that took the shingle shot and they got rebound shingles and I have had it twice so I have the antibodies so no I am not taking it even though medicare does cover it.I sure don't won't it again but I am more afraid of the shots.
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Do what you must, but …
“Vaccination still recommended after a shingles infection”
https://www.health.harvard.edu/dise...-still-recommended-after-a-shingles-infection
 
IKE said:
I don't use the VA for medical care but go once a year for a general checkup.

Anyway, when I was in about a month ago I was told that I could get the two part shingles vaccination if I wanted to and that it would be free which is a pretty good deal because I believe it normally costs over $300.00 for both shots and from what I understand, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, it's not covered under Medicare so it would be 100% out of pocket.

I know shingles can be pretty painful if you get it because I had a buddy that passed last Aug. and he hurt so bad that they surgically put some sort of pain management thing under his skin to help him deal with the discomfort.

Shingles vaccination......yey or nay ?
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I say get them.

I got my shots at Walgreen's about three years ago. Cost $40 for each shot.

As I go to the VA I should and could have got they there at no cost.
 
Nohelany said:
Has anyone gotten the shingles recently and how long does it last?
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My wife and I have both had it. Didn’t last long because we both went straight to the doctor. Never again because we are both vaccinated with Shingrix and intend to stay that way. BTW No side effects for either of us.

The shingles virus (a lingering effect of Chicken Pox) settles in a random area of your spine. When it awakens it travel along the nerve root where it settled. This can potentially present a serious problem. Usually a painful rash, but if it goes to the eye it can cause blindness.
 
Wife and I been talkin' 'bout this for a couple of years. Friend of ours got shingles and wished they had died first. We're getting the shots (and now, they're free).
 
Mama and I got our 1st vaccinations on April 14th and get our 2nd on the 14th of this month.

Per our pharmacist.....you have to get the 2nd vaccination within six months of the 1st but you can't take the 2nd for at least two months after the 1st.

Medicare would not cover the $216.54 per vaccination cost but our Humana 'D' supplement covered the cost 100%.
 
We got our first ones of the paired sequence, in late April I think it was, and will get the 2nd ones, in August.
We much rather deal with having those, for any lowering of the chances of getting Shingles.

The Part D Medicare covered it %100.
I am pretty sure that any Part D coverage does that, now, started in Jan 2023, I think.
 
IKE said:
Mama and I got our 1st vaccinations on April 14th and get our 2nd on the 14th of this month.

Per our pharmacist.....you have to get the 2nd vaccination within six months of the 1st but you can't take the 2nd for at least two months after the 1st.

Medicare would not cover the $216.54 per vaccination cost but our Humana 'D' supplement covered the cost 100%.
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I just realized what you meant, after re-reading your post.
Yes, you are correct that regular Medicare Part B will not pay for it.
But it is billed by the pharmacy to any Medicare Part D, that a person has;
same way as prescriptions, and is paid in full without any co-pay for the shingles vaccine, pair of them.
 
Just to add or inform, if anyone wants to know,
the Shingles vax are non-live ones now,;

versus the only shingles vax that they had, years ago, were live vaccines (far more dangerous for some of us)
as well as they were known to be less effective.

So those that had trouble with them in the past, or reactions to those shingles vax, or who got shingles after having the vax,
might have had the old type of shingles vax.

Might Not have been the Shingrix ones, that are at pharmacies, now and recent years.

Walgreens pharmacist told me they dont even carry those older ones, now.

Everyone can make their own choices, and I respect those decisions.
 
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I never had Shingles. However, a friend had it and said it was awful!

Got my 2 shots for it about 10 years ago. Then I got a new type of shot last year. Should last me for the rest of my life. I'm 77. Yup! I paid it out of my own pocket. I guess it's a type of insurance for me.
 
Another thing to scratch off the list......mama and I received our second / last shingles vaccinations yesterday morning.

Neither one of us knew if we'd ever had chicken pox growing up but we do know two people that have / had shingles and they were absolutely miserable......better safe than sorry.
 
If you had chicken pox in your childhood/teen years.,,,,It remains dormant in your nervous system, and it MAY flare up again, as an Adult. I had CP as a 26 year old, acquired from a girl friend who was a early childhood educator, who was a passive carrier of it. OhVAY, did that itch for 3 weeks. JImB.
 
In my late 50s I contracted a horrible rash on my right shin. At first my GP diagnosed it as eczema. Then his partner said no it was venostasis, recommended support socks. I ask my mother if I ever had CP, she wasn't sure so shingles was temporarily ruled out. Later when discussing it with a dermatologist, her diagnosis (w/no blood tests) was possibility shingles.

Painful, on medication for a while then suddenly it cleared up after 3-4 months. I choose not to have the vaccine at that time because of the ongoing pandemic. Took my chances that I could be somewhat immune. I still have a discoloration under the skin, here's gambling it doesn't return. Not a very pleasant experience. ADDED: My newest GP said the discoloration is a result of my Type II, who's right? Science or conspiracy.
 

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